Read More

The last time the Northern Lights were spotted in Macclesfield was in March 2016, when professional photographer Simon Brown, from Macclesfield, captured them in a range of stunning photographs.

The Aurora Borealis occurs when solar particles cross into the earth’s atmosphere and let out burning gases, which produce different coloured lights.

People in Scotland are more likely to see the lights, however if geomagnetic activity is greater they may be seen in the north west.

The best places to try and catch the Northern Lights are higher up and in areas away from streetlights and light pollution.

What are the Northern Lights?

Famously visible in the Arctic Circle as well as far off Iceland and Finland, this amazing phenomenon can actually be seen in cold, clear skies across Northern Europe - including Britain.

It is caused by invisible emissions from the sun - known as the solar wind - escaping from the star and travelling through the solar system where they collide with the earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere.

The smash between the charged particles from the sun and the earth’s natural magnetic shield, allows some of the particles to slip through - normally at either one of the planet’s magnetic polar regions.

Once in our planet’s atmosphere, the solar particles release their energy into the air - making the air nearby glow - just like the gases you would find inside a fluroescent light tume.